The Girl in the Crystal Coffin
by Yasu Uchiha
Summary: Sequel to Distraction. There's a myth that needs it's happily ever after. It's a story about a young woman - the girl in the crystal coffin. And her happily ever after is a star living Aboveground.
1. Chapter 1

_Once upon a time, a beautiful young woman had fallen in love with the man of her dreams. She was kind and loving, pale blonde hair and blue eyes giving her the appearance of an angel. She always wore beautiful gossamer dresses, befitting her status, and everyone loved her. He was sweet and charming, a romantic and an artist. He wrote her poems and music, singing to her and writing long love letters that she would read over and over and over again._

_War ravaged their homeland, and he was on the front line, leading the battles. During the long nights when the bonfires on the battlegrounds lit up the night, she would read his letters and poems to bring her comfort. They corresponded constantly, promising to marry once the war was over._

_Of course, that promise never came to fruition. Word came that he was killed in the war, sending the woman into a depressive frenzy. She locked herself into her room, refusing any food. She was wasting away, and her beloved brother, a kind and righteous King, tried to reason with her. It was in vain – She was intent on dying with him. Faced with no other choice, the King coaxed her to sleep. Once she had fallen into a deep slumber, the King encased her in the magic crystal of their line, keeping her asleep and – more importantly – alive. The young woman dreamt, long, colorful, vivid dreams. She could walk in dreams as well, and visited her brother often._

_Asleep, the woman became a myth. Once she had been forgotten, yet immortalized in stories, the young man reappeared, married with children. The King became furious. He ordered the man and his family to the castle. The man, not realizing it was the brother of the woman he'd promised to marry, came, wife and children in tow. The King showed the man where his sister slept, and the man became terrified. The King imprisoned him in a fit of rage._

_The wife and children of the man were told of his lies, and the woman denounced the marriage and her husband immediately. The man was exiled from the Kingdom, and the woman slept on, oblivious._

_Years passed. The man died. His wife died. The children grew old, forgetting. People forgot the woman existed, except in bedtime stories. Only the King, her brother, knew of her continued existence. The room where she slept became a shrine, kept clean and protected. The woman slept on through the years, and she will continue to sleep for many more, until her soul mate comes to awaken her._

**This was an excerpt from another story I'd started writing, and even though that one died, it can apply to this one. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So. This is the long-awaited sequel to "A Nice Distraction". Thanks for reading Distraction, and thanks for reading this one. If you haven't read distraction, you might want to, but this is a different story, so you shouldn't be left **_**too**_** far behind. As usual, I don't own Labyrinth, but I do own Alexa and her siblings, and another character you'll find soon enough. Enjoy~!**

Ileana worked quietly next to Alexa. Ever since the incident Underground, Ileana had been very well-behaved, much to the disappointment of Astrid. Astrid and Castor stuck around for a while, but with Alexa's high school graduation looming, Astrid seemed to be spending more and more time out of the house and Castor more and more time sulking. Alexa was packing, Ileana handling each of her books with an almost reverent care. Alexa was folding up the clothes she was going to take with her, when she moved, happy about the fact she was finally getting _out_.

Ileana finally spoke up. "You're going back, aren't you?"

They never spoke of what happened, not really. There were a few meaningful glances, and nights just the two of them where they'd sit in silence together, remembering, but they never properly _talked _about it. Alexa knew Ileana had seen the final confrontation, and knew she understood. Still, she silently vowed to fix that. She knew her experience in the Labyrinth was very different from Ileana's.

Alexa smiled at her little sister. "Yeah, I am. Not yet, though. I want to get through college first."

"Why? He'll take care of you. He is a _king, _after all." Ileana accentuated her statement with an eye roll.

Alexa laughed. "Yes, I know. Well, it'd be a nice experience. Plus, I could use what I learn in college in his Court. You know?"

Ileana nodded. "That makes sense."

Alexa smiled. "C'mon, Squirt. Help me take these down to the car." She took the box of books, leaving Ileana with the much-lighter load of clothing. They went downstairs, loading the boxes into Alexa's "new" car. Her parents bought it second-hand, and Alexa had spent many summer nights fixing it, but now it ran beautifully, and it was _hers_. Castor and her dad were already waiting at her new apartment to help her unload and unpack. "You wanna come, Squirt?" Alexa offered.

Ileana smiled, but shook her head. "You'll come back to visit, right?" She was twisting the hem of her shirt in her fingers, unable to meet Alexa's eyes.

Alexa pulled her into a hug. "Every holiday and birthday, promise. And every weekend while I'm still in college. Okay?"

Ileana nodded, hugging her back. "I'll miss you."

"Oh, Squirt, I'll miss you too," Alexa said, surprised she meant it. She swung into the car, waving at Ileana until she disappeared into the rearview mirror. She reached her apartment quickly, seeing her brother and dad waiting to unload. They unloaded, setting up the important things then leaving Alexa to finish off with the little details. Alexa waved them both off, sighing happily at the final silence in her apartment. She set up her books, hung up her clothes, and made her bed before going to the vanity and setting a small crystal orb on the smooth desk. Grinning madly, she said, "Jareth? I need you."

"Why, hello there, precious thing."

**I wrote this a while ago. I just needed to get the rest of the story going... hope you guys are in for another wild ride~!**


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